In the last 10 years, the county has continued to lose direct service at Pittsburgh International Airport. Fitzgerald said the biggest stumbling block has been the number of major airlines that have merged in recent years, impacting not just Pittsburgh, but all of the Midwest as many have lost hubs in favor of routing flights to the east coast.

"The way the system works now, it's just not sustainable for the Midwest," said Dennis Davin, director of the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development and a board member of the Allegheny County Airport Authority.

Davin said the business community has to be a big part in marketing Pittsburgh, using the direct flights the city has now to show it is a viable option.

Too often, Davin and Fitzgerald said, while executives may favor the direct flights, company employees often choose connections that will give them more frequent-flyer perks.

"We need to find a different way to give employees perks other than allowing them to keep frequent-flyer miles if we're going to make headwinds," Fitzgerald said.

Justine Coyne covers manufacturing and higher education.

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